Disabled cyclist Wang Yonghai
On the afternoon of July 8, Beijing time, the second stage of the 12th Tour of Qinghai Lake in 2013 came to an end. On the open space in front of the podium, there was a rider without a race number sitting on the ground, yet surrounded by reporters. This man is Wang Yonghai, a 42-year-old from Shandong. One of the reasons he drew so much media attention is that — he has only one leg.
A car accident when he was 19 cost Wang Yonghai his left leg permanently. In 2002, he accidentally came across a disabled cycling team training and was deeply captivated. From then on, with extraordinary determination, he quickly became an outstanding disabled cyclist. He not only won national championships in the cycling events of the National Paralympic Games but also earned a bronze medal at the World Para-Cycling Championships.
This year, he wanted to complete the entire Tour of Qinghai Lake.
“I often take part in amateur races for able-bodied cyclists. Back home, I’d go out for competitions on weekends,” Wang Yonghai said confidently about his abilities. “In most domestic races, especially those with many top riders, placing in the top ten is usually no problem. Before coming to the Tour of Qinghai Lake, I took third place in a competition in Shandong.”
Compared to the 30-40 kilometer distances of amateur races, the over 2,000-kilometer journey of the Tour of Qinghai Lake is clearly much more challenging. But Wang Yonghai has his own perspective. He said, “I don’t really feel it’s that hard, it’s just that I ride a bit slower. I’m not chasing after results either.”
As a disabled athlete competing alongside able-bodied riders, the sweat and effort behind it is something probably only Wang Yonghai himself truly understands. He said the biggest gain from practicing cycling is “my health improved, I got stronger, and I made a lot of cycling friends all over the country.”
Now, Wang Yonghai is full of energy and always smiling. He told reporters, “In the past, when I won amateur races, many people would ask me, ‘How can you ride so fast with just one leg?’” But during the period shortly after his accident, he struggled with psychological barriers and couldn’t accept this harsh reality. However, as he rode better and earned more medals, those feelings gradually faded. He said that now, the bicycle is like the left leg he once lost.